Children&#39;s high chair



Feb. 14, 1961 M. J. KIMMEL 7 CHILDRENS HIGH CHAIR Filed Aug. 17, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR MERLE. J. KIMMBL Feb. 14, 1961 M. J. KIMMEL CHILDREN *s HIGH CHAIR 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 17, 1959 Feb. 14, 1961 M. J. KIMMEL 2,971,567

CHILDREN'S HIGH CHAIR Filed Aug. 17, 1959 FIG. 5.

3 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR MERLE J. KIMMEL United States Patent CHILDRENS HIGH CHAIR Merle J. Kimmel, P.0. Box 906, Steubenville, Ohio Filed Aug. 17, 1959, Ser. No. 834,300

2 Claims. (Cl. 155-38) This invention relates to nursery furniture and more particularly to a novel construction providing a single article in the form of a multiple duty chair.

One of the objects of the invention is to provide an article of furniture that can be used in its entirety at any particular stage of a childs growth beginning with the time that he can first be propped up in a chair until he outgrows it altogether. Thus, the article is basically a chair that may be selectively and readily adjusted to each of two higher levels above the floor by assembling the seat supporting and floor engaging portions of the chair with a supporting base which rests on the floor while the seat is elevated. For example, when the chair is attached to the base in its low position, the table surface which includes a tray is about twenty-three and one-half inches above the floor. On the other hand, when the chair is connected to the base in its high position, the table or feeding surface is approximately thirtyone inches above the floor which is substantially the equivalent of an adults table. Thus, the infant can be moved next to the adults table and made to feel that he is participating in a meal along with everyone else.

A further object of the invention is to provide structural features which contribute to the ready and safe handling of the base and chair which require no more floor space than one of the components, and which parts may be readily stored when not in use.

With the above and other objects in view which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the invention consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, hereinafter more fully described, illustrated and claimed.

A preferred and practical embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a basic chair unit embodying the present improvements, and serving as a childs chair as it rests upon the floor.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the cradle or support for positioning the chair of Figure 1 at selected elevations.

Figure 3 is a perspective view of the chair of Figure l and the cradle type elevating support of Figure 2 assembled in a position where the chair is elevated to a first or intermediate position relative to the floor to provide, with the tray, a low feeding table.

Figure 4 is another perspective view showing the chair assembled with the base to maintain the seat of the chair at the highest elevation, thereby functioning as a high chair.

Figure 5 is a detail bottom perspective view illustrating the bottom frame of the chair seat with the footrest extended to its maximum position as shown in Figures 1 and 4.

Figure 6 is a detail perspective view similar to Figure 5, but taken in the opposite direction, and illustrating how the footrest may be withdrawn completely within the limits of the front portion of the chair.

Figure 7 is a detail cross sectional view on the line 77 of Figure 3.

Similar reference characters designate corresponding parts throughout the several figures of the drawings.

Referring first to Figure 1 it will be observed that the chair proper includes a seat-A, a backrest B and a footrest F. The elevating cradle support S is shown in Figure 2 and includes opposite laterally spaced side portions to receive the chair as will presently appear more in detail.

As shown in Figure 1 the chair includes a base consisting of a primary framework C, having vertical front leg elements 1, 1 opposite parallel floor engaging bottom rails 2 connected by a rear transverse member 3.

The upper portion of the front legs 1 are continued rearwarclly to provide armrest portions 4 and thence downwardly at 5 to a point where their lower ends are secured by fastening as at 6 to a substantially rectangular seat-supporting frame. This frame includes the side rails 7, 7, the front rail 8 and the substantially V-shaped rear rail 9 (Fig. 5), with the apex of the V pointing forwardly.

The bottom rails 2 and the side rails 7 of the seat frame are provided at their underside with registering openings 2 and 7 respectively, to provide keeper openings for receiving the pin 8 of a spring barrel type latch L shown in Figure 7.

The latch L is carried by the lower leaf 10 of a bracket 11 also having the upper leaf 12 spaced from the leaf 10 alternately to permit of a user to selectively receive therebetween either the bottom rails 2, 2 or the top rails 7, 7 respectively of the chair frame C.

When the seat rails 7, 7 are slidbetween the leaves 16 and 11 of the bracket 11, carried by one of the horizontal frame members 13 of the cradle support S, it will be seen that the interlocked chair and base can be lifted or lowered vertically While the latch pin 8 prevents sliding disengagement. On the other hand, when, desired to support the seat A at a higher elevation, the bottom rails 2, 2 may be slid between the leaves 12, 12 and also locked against sliding operation by the latch pin 8.

Referring to Figure 2, it will be seen that the cradle support S includes a pair of inverted U-shaped legs 13, 14, the feet of which rest upon the floor. The inner portions of these legs have an upwardly opening U- shaped frame 15 whose upright legs 15 are secured thereto by suitable fastenings 16 or the like. The upright legs 15 are in substantial registry with the related spaced legs of the inverted U-shaped frames 13, 14. Also as will be apparent from Figure 7, the horizontal legs 18 of the cradle are preferably in substantial vertical registry with the transverse horizontal portions 13 of the cradle support.

It will now be seen that the chair having the bottom rails 2 and the seat supporting rails 7 may readily be supported in the cradle S which includes the outer frame having the inverted U-shaped members whose vertical portions 14 constitute legs while the horizontal portion constitutes an upper rail 13. An inner frame including front and rear transverse members 15, vertical portions 15 and the horizontal portion 18 is nested within the outer U-shaped frame members.

The arm rest portions 4 of the chair frame have secured thereto angular flanged members 19 intended to cooperate with suitable grooves in the tray T to permit the same to be slid into position or removed as desired.

The footrest F includes a cushion and a step 20 carried by the transverse portion 21 of a U-shaped frame whose side members 22 are slidably engaged in the tubular guides 23 (Figure 5) carried by the back of the foot rest.

7 The same tubular guides 23 which permit the arms 22 to slide also receive the arms 24 of a U-shap ed bracket 24 whose upper out-turned ends 25 are pivotally supported at the inner sides of the front legs 1, while its cross member 2-6 has an offset hook -26- to which one section 27 of a two-part telescopic adjustable post is attached. This post includes another section 28 whose upper end is secured by fastening 29 to the apical portion of the base of the chair seat A. As this post is adjusted, so isthe footrest F. The section 27 is provided with a series of openings 29 to receive the pin or bolt of a spring latch 30 of the type operating on the same principle as the latch 9. It will thus be seen that the angular position of the footrest 2 in relation to the floor may be readily varied as desired.

vAs will be observed, more particularly from Figs. and 6 the angle of the backrest B may be varied in relation to the seat A to provide comfortable reclining positions. To that end the backrest carries a flexible loop 31 which enters the guide 32 on the vertical members 5 of the primary chair frame so that the free ends of the flexible element 31 may enter the hollow portions of the arm rests 4 and be secured by means of the wing nut type bolt 33 (Fig. 6). By loosening the bolt and rocking the chair back B on its pivot pins 34, which connect the hinge leaves 35, the back may be set to the selected position and the bolt 33 may be tightened.

I claim:

1. A multi-duty childs chair, comprising, in combination.

a chair having parallel side frames each including opposite horizontally spaced floor engaging rails and also having upper spaced opposite horizontally disposed seat supporting rails above said floor engaging rails,

and a cradle comprising an outer frame including in! verted U-shaped portions forming legs,

and an inner frame nested Within said inverted U- shaped outer frame, said inner frame having front and rear bottom rails disposed transversely between the medial portions of said legs and connected with upright portions registering with said legs, said upright portions terminating in horizontal rails beneath and in registry with the horizontal portions of said inverted U-shaped side frames,

and means for supporting the chair carried by the upper horizontal vertically registering portions of the U- shaped outer frames and the horizontal portions of the cradle to provide a guideway for selectively receiving the fioor engaging rails or: said chair or the seat supporting rail of the chair frame.

2. A rnulti-duty childs chair according to claim 1, wherein the means for supporting the chair at different elevations comprises a pair of angle members arranged to have adjacent flanges spaced to provide a guideway and the other flanges connected together and secured to the vertically aligned upper rail portions of the cradle.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS D. 158,069 Gottfried Apr. 11, 1950 2,360,483 Felsher Oct. 17, 1944 2,649,893 Spriggs Aug. 25, 1953 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,096,956 France Feb. 9, 1955 

